Workshop Session 4

Workshop 4: Push the Truck: An Innovative Way to "Move" Academic Advising from Silos to Bridges

Program Description

Collaboration and communication are central to effective teamwork whether trying to push a truck across a field or taking a campus-wide holistic approach to student success and advising. Colorado State University's Academic Support Coordinator works to build bridges between departments and colleges to create a cross-campus advising network. This presentation will explore the ways in which a centralized advising model promotes a holistic approach to student success driven by university-wide retention and graduation goals. Data collection intiatives have provided support for the Academic Support Coordinator model and establish a foundation upon which to build future collaborative efforts. The second half of this session will allow for small group discussion as we share ideas and strategies for cross-campus collaborative advising.

Facilitators

Heather Matthews, Colorado State University

Heather Matthews has worked in the Department of Psychology at Colorado State University since 2007. She came to CSU with experience in Orientation, International Student Programs, and Admissions. She is passionate about shifting the culture in advising at CSU to be wholly student success-centered and become a model for other institutions.

Kelly McGregor, Colorado State University

Kelly McGregor works for the College of Liberal Arts and advises International Studies and Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. Kelly started at CSU in June 2012 and came from CU Boulder, where he worked for two years as a Residence Director and one year as the Academic Development Coordinator for Residence Life, working with residential academic programs. He is a graduate of Fort Collins High School and studied at CU Boulder.

Cassidy McLaren, Colorado State University

Cassidy has been an Academic Support Coordinator since 2010 in the Psychology Department at CSU. Previously, she worked for Apartment Life and was a graduate student in the Student Affairs in Higher Education program at CSU. Prior to her work in higher education, Cassidy lived in Alaska and held positions in the mental health field as well as in tourism.

Ella Bowers, Colorado State University

Ella Bowers currently works as the Communication Studies Academic Support Coordinator in the College of Liberal Arts at CSU. She has been an Academic Support Coordinator for one year. She has 5 1/2 years of advising experience. She advised at St. Louis University (College of Arts and Sciences), University of Northern Iowa (Department of Industrial Technology), and University of Nebraska Medical Center (College of Nursing).

Latoya Noel, Colorado State University

Latoya Noel has ben an Academic Support Coordinator for one year in the department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Previously, she worked in Residence Life at CSU and Colorado College. She received her Master's degree in Counseling Education at Radford University. She is passionate about supporting students in their transition to Colorado State University.

Paul Thayer, Colorado State University

Dr. Paul Thayer is Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Special Advisor to the Provost for Retention at Colorado State University, and Assistant Clinical Professor of Education. His career has focused on student success to and graduation from postsecondary education. Currently, at Colorado State University, he plays a facilitative leadership role in the implementation of the University's comprehensive Student Success Plan, linking strategies across academic and student affairs divisions. He presents nationally and internationally on student retention and institutional strategies for increasing student success. He earned his bachelor's degree from Williams College, and his master's and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the University of Colorado Denver.